"red wine" news and stories

Several California wineries are cranking out red Rhône varietals that are as good, if not better, than their French counterparts. A red Rhône varietal means that the wine contains grape varieties traditionally grown in Southern France's Rhône river valley, such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. (There are also white Rhône varietals which we will explore in a future post.).

Complex, and lighter-in-body, red Rhône varietals are perfect for the early days of summer when you're not quite ready to sip a chilled white. To pair with these wines, look to spring and early-summer vegetables, or grilled, lightly seasoned fish.

We recently sampled from a six-pack of red Rhone varietals available from Brixr for a fairly low price ($25) considering the retail prices on each wine. Arriving in a flat cardboard box (smaller than a shoebox) a few ounces of each wine rest inside a test-tube sized glass bottle with a screwcap.

After the jump, find our notes from a recent tasting of the Brixr Rhone Ispired Tasting Pack.

This past Monday we showcased our favorite boxed white wines -- now we bring you our picks for the best boxed reds. While some of the whites presented a flat palate, many of these reds showed complexity.

Find out which box wines are went above and beyond our expectations (and which we wouldn't dare serve at a party) after the jump.

Malbecs are inky, concentrated and exploding with fruit, yet are not as aggressive as Zinfandels or Petite Sirah due to its additional layer of softness. Considered Argentina's national grape, and an exploding segment of the wine market, we thought it would be fun to open up some Argentinian Malbecs and see how they rate.

Great to open on a cool night in front of the fireplace -- or pair with backyard barbecue or grilled foods -- Malbec is a very food-friendly red wine. Matched with a Manchego or blue cheeses like Roquefort or Gorgonzola, the nuances are even more pronounced.

After the jump, find our six favorites from a recent tasting of Malbecs – they're all great buys.

Because it's almost grilling season in many parts of the country, Syrah is a great wine to have on hand. It also pairs well with tomato-based pasta sauces and cheddar or cheddar-style (we like Double Gloucester) cheeses as well as Camembert.

Now, for a quick lesson: Syrah and Shiraz are actually the same grape. Generally speaking, it's referred to as Syrah in France, the rest of Europe, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and the U.S. Yet in Australia, it's Shiraz.

Find six Syrahs we recently opened and fell in love with after the jump.

In a tasting of 2006 vintage Oregon Pinot Noirs, we sampled some fabulous bottles. According to a recent issue of Wine Spectator, this vintage isn't all bad despite a long, hot summer – you might say Indian Summer – that stressed the vines (whew!). The results are Pinot Noirs with ripe, mature fruit and a nice tannic structure that are ready to drink now.

Generally speaking, Pinot Noir is a fitting wine to transition into spring, with a lighter body yet not lacking the spices and fruit that drive a bottle into excellence. Pair these with salmon to celebrate the earthiness in both the wine and the food, and you can even tap into a sommelier's wine-pairing trick: choose food and wine from the same region by going with Pacific Northwest salmon.

After the jump, find our eight favorites. And trust us when we say that the hike in bottle price – compared to what you might pay for a mass-market Pinot Noir from California – is well worth the splurge. These are wines you are going to remember long after you've finished them.